The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-08-17
POPULAR SCIENCE.


The largest guns now used on ship.
board are calculated to penetrate 80
inches of iron, 10 to 20 Of granite snd
rs feet OF earth.
The death rate of the world is COM
puted about 81 minute, 97,79O day,
and $3.50, s35 a year, while the birth
rate is 79 minute, 100, 500 day, and
36, 1872, 900 year.
A photographer at Pesth has succeeded
in taking photographs of pro;ectiles,
fred from Werendler gun, while hav-
ing a velocity of 100 feet per second.
The projectiles appeared on the impress
sions enveloped in layer of air, hyper
bolic in form.
Photographic outfits are being placed
on board all United States men-of-war
with the purpose of illustrating de-
spatches. All points of value in naviga-
tion are to be photographed and the
pictures are to be preserved for reference
at the Navy Department.
Cultivated in groves, the average
growth in twelve years OF several va
rieties of hard wood has been ascertained
to be about as follows: White maple
reaches foot in diameter and 80 feet in
height; ash, leaf maple or box elder, 1
foot in diameter and 90 feet in height;
white willow, 1S inches and 40 feet;
yellow willow, 18 inches and 35 feet;
Lombardy poplar, 10 inches and 40 feet;
blue and white ash, 10 inches and 25
feet; black walnut and butternut, 10
inches and 90 feet. .r.
A French savant has propounded 8
theory that coal was originally liquid
generated by the decomposition of infe-
rior vegetation in an atmospere highly
charged with carbonic acid. The carbon
of the jelly-like mass thus formed, after
passing through various transformations
into asphalt, petroleum, bitumen, ETC.,
finally assumed the form of coal. The
author cites various facts connected with
the occurrence of coal, which, he thinks,
are better explained on his theory than
by the usual one. u
DR.. A. B, Griffiths, an English physi- I
clan, has just published communities
ton which is of great importance to hor-
ticulturists and agricultur.sts. He de.
monstrates that iron sulphate is an anti
dote for many of the most virulent epi-
denies which attuck field and garden
crops. These diseases are due to micro
scopic fungi, whose structures are
built up in somewhat different manner
to the corresponding parts in other
plants. 1t appears that the cellulose in
these fungi is acted upon by iron sui
phate, whereas in the higher plants tie
celluose of the cell walls is not infu-
enced. The iron sulphate destroys the !,
cellulose, but does not affect that OF
the attacked plant. 1t is, therefore, an
antidote and destroyer Of such parasitic
germs and fungi as the potato disease,
wheat mildew, etc.
During many years spent in Tunis,
Colonel Roudaire surveyed four great de-
pressions or ''shotts," extending below
sea level in such position that they may
be filled with water by means of canal.
These depressions - named Tedjed,
Dierid, Rharsa and Melrir-could thus be
changed in a lake more than seventy-fve
feet deep, and having an area of 3, 1874
square miles. The creation of this lake
and the consequent improvement OF
much surrounding country formed the
favorite project of Colonel Roudaire, and
now seems likely to be- accomplished
in spite of its authors death. The ar
tesian wells tried in the district, and
from which q revenue in aid of the canal
was expected, are proving successful:
The first we'll, sunk in 1885 to a depth OF
295 feet, commenced yielding water at
the rate of 1,760 gallons per minute, and
has now increased its flow to 10, 800 gall
Ions per minute. According to Sir F.
de Lesseps, the baLks of the river Mclah,
which fifteen months ago were deserts,
are now populated; and very shortly the
canal will be commenced.